""[U]ser-frienly and unfussy... essential addition to any bid manager's bookshelf."" - Supply Management
1 A bid to succeed
About this book; Guidelines to set you on course;
Developing skills in bid writing; Market research and
intelligence
2 Bidding for public sector contracts
The EU procurement framework; Key aspects of the
procurement regulations; Outline of the procurement
process; Priorities for the public sector; Bidding for
project funding; Bids for Lottery grants; Bidding for
London 2012 contracts
3 Tendering for the private sector
Equal concern for value for money
4 Bidding for research funding
Tendering for EU-funded research; Essential dos and
donts; Research council and government funding;
Bidding for Lottery research funding
5 Pre-qualifying for tender opportunities
Pre-qualification information; Guidance to get you
ahead; Capability statements
6 Deciding to bid
Issues to consider; Risk assessment
7 Analysing the bid specification
Points for checklists
8 Managing the bid
Planning and coordination; Document management
and version control; Programming production and
delivery; Checking bid quality; Bringing together
resources and inputs; Using a bid development
worksheet; Maintaining bid records
9 Talking to the client
10 Bidding in partnership
Guidelines for association; Overseas bids: teaming up
with local associates
11 Thinking the work through
Get the measure of the work; Match technical content
and price; Recognize and manage risk; Reduce the
risk of contract failure
12 Developing and writing the bid
Structuring the bid; Thinking different; Commenting
on the bid specification; Bid letters; Response matrix; Bid development timeline; Creating the text; Editing the bid
13 Explaining approach and methodology
Shaping the argument; Writing about methods;
Structuring the work plan
14 Focusing on contract management
Team management and resources; Management
interface; Quality management
15 Defining outcomes and deliverables
Contract deliverables
16 Communicating added value
17 Presenting CVs
Management of CVs; Standardizing CV format and
structure; Basic structure for CVs; Résumés
18 Describing professional experience
Client references; Project summaries; Bringing
experience to life
19 Making good use of graphics
Types of bid graphics; Guidelines for effective
graphics; Design software; The bid cover;
Bid design and page layout
20 Stating your price
Components of price information; Cost
assumptions; Payment; Separate financial
proposals; Best practice in dealing with price;
Financial information in research bids
21 Producing and submitting the bid
Electronic submission; Size and presentation;
Packaging and delivery
22 Understanding how clients evaluate tenders
Evaluation criteria in public sector procurement;
Methods of evaluating bids; Questions clients ask;
Evaluation of research proposals
23 Presentations to clients
Planning and making the presentation; Visual aids;
Pitfalls to avoid
24 Do your own tender auditing
Using feedback from clients; The auditing
procedure; Audit parameters in detail;
Applying the results of the audit
25 Twelve true stories
And the moral of these stories?